Insect exterminating device



Jan. 24, 1950 w, o s o 2,495,366

INSECT EXTERMINATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 51, 1948 iii [222/ 67250; WW1 marzskrze Patented Jan. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE.

EXTERMINATING' mince Williamlld'. Edmonstonmflyd'e .Park, Mass; Application January-'31, 19483 Serial-Nin- 52'615 rename, (!..43-132).

In protecting susceptibl fabrics from. the den redations of. moth. larvaev the. usual. method; has been; to employ moth: repellarrt crystals. and tospray periodically with a. toxic, liquid; In. many cases such precautions do .not. givethe desired? protectionv as.=. moths prefer: to; deposit" their" eggs in: dark and: hidden: locations. where the larvae do not. come in contact with: the spray. In other? cases the adult moths arerepelled". by the spray and. proceed further to: lay'their'eggs elsewhere The: spraying 1 liquid. is expensive. and; the. protec tion afforded thereby is; often: only temporary. Many'sprays aredisa'greeable in odor and in:the: case of a person. allergic theretocausezunpleasant and sometimes'dangerous physiological: reactions;

Objects of: this invention are to: provide a device which indirectly protects susceptible fabrics from: the. depredations of: the lar-vae of moths,- buffalo bugs andsimila'rinsects; whichdestroys theIa-rvae ofi these insects. which is long-lasting in-its action; WhiOhliS safe, odorless and effective-tense, which: is-zeconomical toconstruct'and use; and which canbe used as a substituteforcrystalsand sprays or: as a supplementary device forthe extermination of these fabric destroyinginsects.

In a broad aspect theinvention contemplates an insect exterminating, devicemf-thetype operated by a door comprising two juxtaposed menrbers havingrelativemovement towards. and from each other; One of the members'i's adapted to supportins-ect attracting material in the spacebet tween thetwo members- Mean's'are provider? for attaching-one.of.the.members to adoor to rprovide relative movement between the members in response to the movement of the door. Preferably the means includes a spring and a connection between the door and one of the members.

In another aspect the relative motion between the members is in opposite directions, a spring being used to produce the relative motion in one direction and a connection between the door and one of said members producing the relative motion in the opposite direction. In a more specific aspect the members are moved toward each other by a spring which is attached therebetween. The movement in the other direction is produced by a lever attached to one member and operated by the door.

In another aspect the juxtaposed members are surrounded by an enclosure so that light is excluded from the space between the members.

In a more specific aspect the insect exterminating device comprises two juxtaposed members each with a plane surface having a relative movement towards and from the other surface. One

I the: surfaces; is: adapted; to; support; an. insect Fig. 5 isva sectionpn-line 5 -5 ofFig; 4 show attracting: materials. inithe space between the two:

members; Surroundingithamembers. is an em closure so? that light is excluded. from. the. space? therehetween. The? members are movedtowardi each: other so that the'surfacesi areh'eld in intiimater contact. by a; spring which is. connected; therebetweenz. A1 lever oneendi abutting the:

door pivotally attached: to the enclosure and to;

l oneof; theamembers. to produce amov-ement of: the members'taway'from each other inresponse-tos the-movement off the d'oor;

For: the purpose: of illustration: a typical em.- b'odiment'ofi'thezinventionis shown in the accompanying draW-ingstin. which :1

Fig: Lissa/sideelevatiomshowing the invention attached- 1:0? at door;

' Rig. 2:. is-a plamview of the inventionattachedi to: aedoor and' an -adj'acent jamb which are shown: in: section Fig. 3I1is a p1an =viewofithe'inventionwiththe enclosure in: partial section;-

Fig. 4* is a side elevation with the enclosure removed:

ing the invention int-hetripped position; and

Figafiisa section on: line 55 of Fig. 4" showing thednventiom in the cooked position.

In" the particular embodiment chosen for the purposeofillustration the moth larvaev exter minatihg device comprises two" juxtap'ositioned members such as a-movable-- clapper Hi (Fig. 3) and a base block: I 12 An insectattracting part such as a piece of'felt" I 2 impregnatedwith grease or other moth attracting material is fastened to a plan surface I3 of the base block II. I4 is located on each side of the base block I I to force the plane surface I3 and corresponding plane surface I6 of the clapper I 0 into intimate contact with and thereby to crush the felt I2. Each of the springs I4 is pivotally connected with one side of the base block II by means of a large headed screw IT. A finger I5a (Fig. 4) at one end of each of the springs I4 engages a slot I8 in each side of the clapper I0. A similar finger I5b at the opposite end of each of the springs I4 rests on the upper surface I9 of the clapper I0 so as to keep surface I 6 of the clapper always in close contact with surface I3 of base block II at the edge of the base block farthest from the door frame J.

An enclosure 2| is fastened to the base block I l by means of a nail 25 on each side thereof. The enclosure ZI and its tightfitting cover 22 surround the clapper. I0 and the base block II to exclude all light from the space therebetween so that an A spring I additional attraction is provided to induce the moths to lay eggs upon the felt l2. The enclosure 22 has a lip 23 and a tab 24 on each side thereof. Each tab 24 has a hole therein through which projects a screw 25 (Figs. 1 and 2) to cooperate with the lip 23 for attaching the device to a closet door D.

One end of the enclosure 2| is open so that a lever 21 is free to project therefrom. The lever 21 includes a connecting member 28 at each end of which is a tongue 29 projecting normally therefrom. The lever 21 pivots about a bolt 3 I the body.

of which projects through a hole in each side of the enclosure 2! and through an' aligned hole at one end of each of the tongues 29. The bolt 3! is maintained in position by an engaging nut 32.

Each of the tongues 29 is pivotally connected to a respective side of the clapper ID by a link 33, the g connections being made by rivets 34 and 36 respectively.

A striker plate 31 (Fig. 2) is fastened to the door frame J in such a position as to contact the lever 21 when the door D is in the closed posi-.

tion. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device is fastened by means of the screws 25 and the lip 23 to the inside of the closet door D preferably near the floor where the adult moths prefer to hover. When the closet door D is closed, the member 28 of the lever 2! contacts the striker plate 37 and is moved thereb to the position 21a (Fig. 3). The link 33 and the clapper I are simultaneously moved to the positions 3311 and Illa respectively-so that there is a clearance between the felt l2 and the surface It of the clapper I0 as is clearly indicated in Fig. 6.

Experience has shownthat moths prefer soiled or greasy materials in a darkened location as a depository for their eggs. The adult moths have a well developed sense of smell which guides them past the clean fabrics stored in the closet to seek the grease impregnated felt [2. The clearance holes around the lever 2! permit an easy access to the device so that the moths can enter to deposit their eggs upon the grease impregnated felt l2 when closet door D is closed.

Whenever the door D is opened, the lever '21 is released and the springs 14 compress the felt l2 between the surface it of the clapper I0 and the base block H as is shown in Fig. thereby crushing any larvae which may have hatched.

It will be noted that the enticing and periodic destruction of the larvae in this manner results in a twofold advantage not present in other;

methods of moth control. First the adult moths are attracted to a location where the larvae can develop without damaging valuable fabrics. Second, the larvae are prevented from developing into adult moths so that the number of moths is prevented from multiplying and increasing the possibility of future depredations.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration onlyand that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

vl claim:

1. An insect exterminatin device of the door operated type comprising two juxtaposed members adapted for relative movement towards and from each other in opposite directions, one of the ;;members being adapted to support insect attive motion in one direction and a lever attached to one member and adapted to be operated by the door for producin the relative motion in:

the opposite direction.

2. An insect exterminating device of the door operated type comprising two juxtaposed members each with a plane surface adapted for relativ movement towards and from the other surface in opposite directions, one of the surfaces being adapted to support insect attracting material in the space between the two members, an enclosure surrounding said members so that light is excluded from the space therebetween, a spring connected between and relatively moving said members towards each other so that the surfaces are forced into intimate contact with said materials, and a lever with one end adapted to abut a, striker plate, said lever being pivotally attached to the enclosure and to one of said members whereby the relative movement of the members away from each other is adapted to be produced by the movement of the door.

WILLIAM M. EDMONSTONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

